The weather forecast called for rain, and Friday it held true. Standing water on the track proved treacherous at times, and it had everyone expecting the worst for the weekend. But both Saturday and Sunday brought glorious weather, with a mix of clouds and sun. The steady breeze off the river kept the humidity down, and it all culminated in near-ideal conditions for watching and driving. The only rain that happened occurred after racing, once on Saturday and once on Sunday.

From a spectator's perspective, the park was well maintained, and the event was well organized and was run well by the crew, security, medical staff and volunteers. As a frequent year-round visitor to the isle, I can say that it hasn't looked better at any time in recent memory.

While talking to drivers from the Grand-Am and World Challenge series, the common perception of the track was that it is both beautiful and dangerous.

Bell Isle is a public park the rest of the year, and the track sees city-street usage. Even speeds of less than the posted 25 mph and the freezes and thaws that the upper Midwest experiences tend to take their toll on the streets.

Talking with trackside workers, some noticed soft, black patches on the concrete rippling. A second layer of patching was added near turn 10 on Sunday morning, one worker said. But the powerful Indy cars, with their sticky tires, proved to be too much for the streets.

On Sunday afternoon, patches began to pull up, strike drivers, break parts and land in trackside chalets after as few as five or 10 laps. During a two-hour delay, workers fixed the track, which then held for the remainder of the race.

The failure of the track surface couldn't have come at a worse time for Detroit. The city is often the public whipping post and poster child for the recession, low-income and high-crime statistics.

But this one negative should not cast a dark shadow over the weekend because it was, in fact, a successful return of racing to Detroit. With three years left on the IndyCar contract, organizers now have almost a year to fix the small section of the track that provided the one disappointment in an otherwise flawless weekend. I look forward to the 2013 Detroit Grand Prix.